Cracking Open with Molly Carroll

"Believe in yourself, follow your gut, and never say never, you have no idea what you can do." 

These words of hope and inspiration from Mary Celeste Beall, mother of five children and proprietor of the Blackberry farm, are what we all need to hear during the holiday season.

In 2016, Mary Celeste Beall's life took an unexpected turn when she lost her beloved husband, Sam, in a shocking ski accident. Just weeks later, her professional life also transformed when she was asked by her beloved father-in-law to be the proprietor of the legendary Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain resorts, a position Sam had occupied for years.

Mary Celeste initially joined her late husband, Sam, as he spearheaded Blackberry Farm into a renowned food, wine, and wellness destination. In her role as Proprietor, Mary Celeste, alongside her father-in-law, Sandy, and the Blackberry team, played a pivotal role in the creation and opening of Blackberry Mountain. It has since become a haven for preservation and personal exploration in relaxation, wellness, and adventure.

Under Mary Celeste's leadership, the Blackberry brand has received numerous accolades, including three James Beard Awards for Best Chef—Southeast, Outstanding Wine Program, and Outstanding Service for Blackberry Farm. Additionally, Blackberry Farm was named Bon Appétit's No. 1 Hotel for Food Lovers, while Blackberry Mountain has garnered recognition from ELLE Décor Travel A-List as the Best New Hotel, Hideaway Report as Hideaway of the Year, and inclusion in Travel + Leisure's It List for best new hotels in the world.

In today’s episode, you will hear how Mary Celeste has not only been highly successful as the proprietor of Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain but also excels at being open-hearted and honest about her emotions.

Mary Celeste begins the conversation by sharing her vulnerability, shedding tears as she discusses a loved one who is hurting. This leads us to the story of her grief over losing her beloved Sam and her journey as a solo mom to five kids.

The episode also explores how to keep loved ones alive in memories, stories, and laughter while allowing oneself to feel new love. It emphasizes that life is meant to be lived in connection with others, even when experiencing the loss of a deep love and father to your children.

This episode goes beyond Mary Celeste's roles as a mom, proprietor, and widow. It delves into her life as a passionate and creative woman, known for her humor and hope.

Despite almost canceling the interview on an "off" day, Mary Celeste's decision to proceed teaches us that it's possible to hold the emotions of grief and joy in the same moment. By allowing all our emotions to be expressed, we create deeper connections with others—a meaningful gift during this holiday season.

Mary Celeste’s story of moving through loss to find strength and purpose is nothing short of inspiring.

Tune in to this episode to be inspired by Mary Celeste Beall's remarkable journey of resilience, hope, and embracing the full spectrum of emotions.

Mary Celeste's Websites: https://www.blackberryfarm.com/
https://www.blackberrymountain.com/

Find Mary Celeste on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/marycelestebf/
https://www.instagram.com/blackberryfarm/
https://www.instagram.com/blackberry.mountain/

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

For many of us, this time of year is filled with joyful celebrations and creating wonderful memories with friends and family. And for many of us, this time of year can actually be a difficult and stressful time.

Maybe it's the first holiday season after the loss of someone you love,
or maybe you simply feel stressed about the hectic pace that often surrounds the holidays or the pressure of meeting others' expectations of what our families or celebrations "should" look like in order to make it the most perfect holiday ever.

This week's guest on the Cracking Open podcast has every reason to feel stressed around the holidays and yet she has made the conscious choice to no longer live her life according to the "shoulds". Instead, she has bravely decided that speaking the truth and following her own heart is how she is going to heal and live the life that is right for her.

Casey Hammer is the granddaughter of Dr. Armand Hammer, renowned industrialist and philanthropist, and the aunt of the famous actor Armie Hammer, known for his role in critically acclaimed and blockbuster movies such as Call Me By Your Name and The Social Network.

Casey blew the lid off of multi-generational shocking family secrets when she released her tell-all autobiography, Surviving My Birthright, in 2015. After remaining silent for much of her life about the abuse and unimaginable trauma that she endured at the hands of her own family, she knew that the only path to healing was through speaking up and speaking out.

Since the release of her book, Casey's story has also been featured in Vanity Fair's May 2021 issue, The Rise and Fall of the House of Hammer, as well as the 2022 Discovery+ and HBO MAX docuseries The House of Hammer.

Throughout her life, Casey witnessed her wealthy and famous family thrive on being “perfect on the outside and twisted on the inside”, as she writes in her book.

She is with us today to courageously share her story with the hope that it will help other abuse victims heal and know that they are not alone.  Casey believes her purpose is to empower other survivors of abuse by bringing awareness around consent, accountability, and speaking your truth no matter how hard or messy it might be.  She has continued her own healing journey by becoming an advocate for abuse survivors to help empower others in their own healing process.

Casey is proof that the advantages of wealth and privilege do not protect someone from being subjected to a minefield of trauma and strife. And yet, she is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and our ability to rise like a phoenix from the ashes and gift the world with the wisdom of our experiences.

A true case for the wounded healer, Casey has turned her pain into power, her trauma into healing, and her secrets into truth. May Casey's story inspire you to do the same in your own life.



Love,
Molly



Trigger Warning: this episode contains conversations about abuse, domestic violence, suicide, and drug use.

If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing domestic violence, you can contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit their website here.


Watch House of Hammer here
Purchase Surviving My Birthright here
Follow Casey on Instagram and TikTok

I started the Cracking Open podcast with a brand new Yeti microphone and a Jenna Kutcher workshop called The Podcast Lab, where I learned how to launch and run a podcast.

Even more important? I ignored the people who said things like, “Why would you start a podcast in such a saturated market?” or “How will you get any guests? It’s not like you're famous."  (Yes, someone really said this to me!)

Instead, I listened deeply to my own inner cheerleader who has helped me stay the course and manifest my mission of bringing more human connection into the world.

Today we launch our 50th episode!

As we near the end of our 5th season, Cracking Open has reached over 20,000 downloads, and I've had the great honor of engaging in profoundly transformational conversations with some of the most prolific teachers, healers, artists, activists, survivors, authors, and leaders in the world! They are the changemakers who offer us different ways to look at our lives and the world around us. They are heart-centered humans who, through their own stories of pain and redemption, teach us to understand, forgive, and love ourselves and each other more deeply.

Today's guest is exactly this kind of human. Suneel Gupta is an author and visiting scholar at Harvard Medical School who studies the most extraordinary people on the planet to discover and share simple, actionable habits to lift our performance and deepen our daily sense of purpose. His work has been featured by major outlets including CNBC, TED, and the New York Times. His newest book, Everyday Dharma: 8 Essential Practices for Finding Success and Joy in Everything You Do, was released in September and shares ancient wisdom, reimagined for modern times, as he helps us bring career goals and inner peace into harmony through tiny, everyday habits. 

I discovered Suneel while listening to his interview on The Good Life Project podcast. I found myself furiously taking notes as he shared his wisdom and tools on how to discover your Dharma. So get ready because Suneel has a wealth of incredible knowledge to share with us today on Cracking Open! 

In addition to providing practical and insightful tips, he is also a masterful storyteller. Trust me, you are in for a treat. If you want to know how to discover your own dharma and learn how to listen to your heart over your fears, this is the episode for you.

Suneel was exactly who I wanted to celebrate my Dharma and 50th episode with on the Cracking Open podcast.  So from the bottom of my heart, thank you Suneel, all of the other 49 amazing guests, and all of you who have made this podcast what it is today.

Love,
Molly


Learn more about Suneel Gupta and his work here
Purchase his newly released book, Everyday Dharma, here
Follow Suneel on YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

I've been helping both of my children prepare for college, and as the entire family has gotten caught up in the hustle of doing "all the things" to prepare for their college futures, this podcast guest came along at just the right time to remind me that they are already enough just as they are right now.

Lisa Congdon is an award-winning fine artist, illustrator, and writer who is widely accomplished despite being self-taught and not achieving career momentum until she was nearly 40 years old.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Lisa now makes art for clients around the globe, including Target, Amazon, Google, Warby Parker, The Library of Congress, and MoMA. Oh, and by the way, she has also authored ten (!) books.

Despite her untraditional path, Lisa has achieved recognition, not just as an artist, but as a leader in the industry for her work in social justice, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and teaching. ​​​​In March of 2021, she was named “One of the 50 Most Inspiring People and Companies According to Industry Creatives” published by AdWeek.
​​​​​
In this refreshingly raw interview, she shares with us her childhood story of growing up and being told that she was a hard worker but not “gifted”, and how in adulthood with the support of a therapist, she realized that it was time to let go of that victimhood because she was the only one left who was selling herself the old story that she wasn't enough.
​​​​​​​
Lisa and I talk about how to find our authentic selves through creativity, how to use our voices to speak our truth, the challenges around mental health, and how to know when to quit something that is not making you a better partner, parent, creator, or overall human being.
​​​​​​
If you've ever believed that you are not enough, this episode is for you.

Tune in for wisdom on how to face your fears and insecurities around your creativity, how to stop listening to the voices telling you that you are not enough, and how to remember in your darker days that you are never alone. There is an immense amount of joy, color, and hope available to you if you are willing to get support, prioritize yourself, and face your deepest truths.

Because Lisa is more than enough. And guess what – so are you.


Love,
Molly



Learn more about Lisa Congdon and her work here
Follow Lisa on Instagram

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

One morning I opened an email from my literary agency and saw that they were featuring a young artist by the name of Sam Onche. I was instantly captivated by his illustrations filled with bold colors, expressive images, and intense facial expressions. They gave me chills all over my body!

I knew immediately that I wanted to meet him and hear more about his story. So I invited him to come on the Cracking Open podcast, and I'm so deeply pleased that he said yes.

Sam has been making art for as long as he can remember. Born in Nigeria, he came to the United States in 2015 to attend high school on a basketball scholarship. From there, he went on to college where he studied studio art with a focus in oil painting. Sam now lives in Chicago where he is an award-winning illustrator and painter.

Using digital and oil mediums to create paintings and illustrations for posters, prints, book covers, and album covers, Sam uses Black art as a voice to speak out on issues, expectations, and representations of Black people in our world today. Themes that can be seen in his work are fashion, music, culture, daily life, and Afrofuturism.

His goals are to ensure that Black people play a central role in the contemporary art scene and to spread a sense of positivity and self-love through his work. With each piece that he creates, he focuses on a different emotion and story.

Sam’s art conveys his hope for humanity to live together as equals and to bring people of different races together – “because as much as we might look different, we are all one.”

At 24 years of age, Sam taught me so much in this conversation about the power of having a strong daily work ethic to follow your dreams and passions, as well as the importance of believing in yourself even when others don't.

I have no doubt that this young man's life will continue to blossom for many decades to come. Knowing that there are beautiful souls in the world like Sam gives me faith that his hope for humanity may come true after all. May his art and his words inspire you too.

Love,
Molly




Learn more about Sam Onche and his art here
Follow Sam on Instagram

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

Over 20 million people are suffering right now from substance abuse, often in silence. This secrecy around addiction creates shame which then increases the addiction, which then increases the shame.

This vicious cycle can only be broken if we first break the stigma of addiction and the silence and shame that perpetuates it. This week's guest on the Cracking Open podcast is Reverend Jeff Grant, and he's here to do just that.         

After a basketball injury, Jeff was prescribed opioids for the pain and thus began his slippery slope into substance dependency. His growing addiction led Jeff down a path filled with secrecy and lies that ultimately caused the loss of his law firm, a suicide attempt, a felony fraud conviction, and a federal prison sentence.

This cracking open moment radically awakened Jeff's life and soul. After being released from prison, Jeff earned his Master of Divinity, served at an inner-city church in Bridgeport, Connecticut as Associate Minister and Director of Prison Ministries, and then co-founded Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc. – the world’s first ministry dedicated to serving people navigating the white-collar criminal justice system. 

Jeff’s law license has since been reinstated, and he once again founded a private law practice in New York City where he is committed to using his legal expertise and life experience to benefit others. He also recently celebrated his 21st year of sobriety.

Join us in this week's episode as we discuss what he has learned along the way about relationships, work ethic, service, God, addiction, prison, and sobriety. This is a deep dive into how to love, tell your truth, and live a meaningful spiritual life in service to others.

Love,
Molly


Learn about Jeff Grant's work with GrantLaw, PLLC  & Progressive Prison Ministries
Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

Feeling Stuck?
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Starting October 5, 2023
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Today's episode on the Cracking Open podcast is someone who I would consider a cherished guide in my professional journey over the last two decades.

Mary Pipher, Ph.D. is a truly extraordinary psychologist who specializes in women, trauma, and the effect of culture on our mental health.

I first came across Mary's work twenty years ago when I was teaching at an all-girls school in San Francisco. I was feeling lost on how to best provide emotional support to my students when they felt left out with friends, insecure about their bodies, navigating challenges in their home lives, or struggling with feeling worthy. A fellow teacher recommended that I read a book called Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher.

When I read her words below, I knew I had found the right guidance:

“Girls struggle with mixed messages: Be beautiful, but beauty is only skin deep. Be sexy, but not sexual. Be honest, but don’t hurt anyone’s feelings. Be independent, but be nice. Be smart, but not so smart you threaten boys.”

Ever since, I have read anything and everything that Mary has written and it has always been a compassionate, wise, and safe place to land. And because of this, I am pinching myself that I got to have this conversation with her and share it with all of you.

Mary graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations, one of which she returned to protest psychologists’ involvement in enhanced interrogations at Guantánamo and other black sites.

She is a community organizer and activist for many causes and has authored 11 books including 4 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is A Life in Light, a luminous new memoir that taps into a cultural moment to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change.

In today’s episode, Mary reminds us that we don’t have to be perfect, solve every problem, or "fix" anyone. She also helps us remember that we live in a universe filled with love and light that surrounds us and is available to us, at all times.
 
I will leave you with her wise words:

“I think a wonderful life doesn't mean that a person hasn't had a lot of tragedy. It means they've had a big, rich life where they’ve been able to experience a really wide range of emotions and people and adventures and learnings of all different kinds.

And of course, in terms of loving fiercely, the price for loving fiercely is the pain of goodbye, but I would always choose to love fiercely.”


Love,
Molly



Learn more about Mary Pipher here
Purchase Mary's latest book A Life In Light here
Connect with Mary on Facebook

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

Feeling Stuck?
It's Your Time To Get UNSTUCK
3-Month Small Group Coaching Program
Starting October 5, 2023
Book a FREE discovery call with Molly today!

This will probably be the hardest newsletter I will write about a Cracking Open podcast guest, and I avoided doing it for as long as I possibly could because I didn't want to face my heartbreak.
 
My honored guest today is Mark Dahir, the CEO of Heart Ministry Center, a non-profit organization based in Omaha. Their mission is to provide healthcare, food, and a way forward for people severely affected by poverty, and Mark had an unquestionably positive impact on the company, its employees, and the community they serve over the many years he was a part of it.

Mark and I had our deeply heartfelt conversation, which you can hear on the podcast today, back in May.

On August 3rd, just 3 weeks ago, Mark suddenly and unexpectedly died from a massive heart attack.

He was a healthy and active 48-year-old man, a loving father to his daughter Whitney, a loyal son and friend, and a mentor to his sober community. His death has left his friends and family shocked and saddened. At his funeral, it was frequently said that Mark gave
all of his heart to everyone he met.

He certainly has left a huge hole in the hearts of all whose lives he touched, including mine.

My wish for this episode is to honor Mark’s life. You will hear his story about his complicated past of addiction, mental health, and serving time. You will also hear his joy and sense of purpose as he talks about fatherhood, truth, redemption, God, service, sobriety, and hope for himself and those he mentored along the way.
 
Mark lived every day with intention and passion. He embodied Heart Ministry Center’s guiding motto – Dignity for All – and the organization’s core values of compassion,
community, accountability, and excellence. He impacted the lives of tens of thousands of people.

It is an honor to have this conversation recorded. My biggest hope is to give his daughter, family, and friends a place to land when they are deeply missing Mark's deep voice, prophetic wisdom, unending energy for change and growth, and most importantly to remember Mark’s main motto in life – be a humble worker of the heart.

Love,
Molly


For more information about Heart Ministry Center, its mission, and its resources, please visit:

HeartMinistryCenter.org

Facebook.com/HeartMinistryCenter

Instagram.com/HeartMinistryCenter

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

Feeling Stuck?
It's Your Time To Get UNSTUCK
3-Month Small Group Coaching Program
Starting October 5, 2023
Book a FREE discovery call with Molly today!

Cracking Open podcast has so many incredible guests lined up for you this season!

Today's guest is Emily Paulson – a writer, Certified Professional Recovery Coach, TEDx Speaker, and the Founder of Sober Mom Squad. She is passionate about ending the shame and stigma of mental health and substance use disorders, and her own recovery path is focused on ruthless honesty, grace, self-love, and the belief that sharing our truth with each other is the best resource of all.

Emily opens up about her struggle with alcoholism and how it led her to get sucked into the culture of multilevel marketing. This path made her millions but soon felt dishonest and exploitative. Once she got sober, she was able to clearly see the problematic environment of multilevel marketing and the many victims that get caught up in it.

She has since authored two books: Highlight Real: Finding Honesty and Recovery Beyond the Filtered Life, and her newly published book Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing.

Emily has given two powerful TEDx talks, challenging the status quo of parenting, alcohol use, and feminism as we know it. She has also been featured in major publications such as the Today Show, New York Times, Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Chicago Tribune, Next Question with Katie Couric, and the Tamron Hall Show.

Today's episode is ultimately about choosing compassion over shame when you reflect on your past choices. Emily helps us understand that when we feel lonely, afraid, or have unresolved trauma, we often make decisions that we think will lead us to feel connection and "normalcy" but more often than not those decisions only lead us further away from ourselves and our truth. And when we are healed and whole, our decisions and truth become much more clear and help light the way to the life we were always meant to have.

Emily’s story is one of truth, sobriety, and how to get honest about the world and people around you, but most importantly with yourself.

Love,
Molly


Learn more about Emily Paulson here
Purchase Emily's books here
Listen to Emily's Tedx Talks here
Connect with Emily on Facebook and Instagram 

Learn more about Molly Carroll here
Connect with Molly on Instagram and Facebook

Feeling Stuck?
It's Your Time To Get UNSTUCK
3-Month Small Group Coaching Program
Starting October 5, 2023
Book a FREE discovery call with Molly today!

Hi everyone!

I hope you have had a wonderful summer. I've missed being with you! My July was spent soaking up precious time with my family, relaxing, and hitting the pause button on the daily rush of life. It's so important to remember to take time for ourselves to refill our cups in all the ways we need.

One of my favorite things I did during my break was re-listen to all of the amazing guests that have visited the Cracking Open podcast thus far. And – WOW! We have had some spectacular guests in Seasons 1-4! I was astonished all over again by the profound wisdom, intriguing conversations, and depth and vulnerability of every single guest that has come on the podcast.

In fact, I found myself in such deep awe and gratitude, that I decided to gather some of my favorite clips from the past four seasons and put together a recap episode filled with golden nuggets of wisdom that were shared by some of our guests.

It was honestly really hard to choose which ones to highlight because each episode shares an immense amount of wisdom, truth, and vulnerability. But in order to avoid making this episode several hours long, I followed my gut and chose several clips that I know you will love revisiting again too.

I created the Cracking Open podcast to help people feel less alone and more hopeful. There is so much light,  even during our darkest hours, and our Cracking Open moments are what teach us the most about life and love.

Love, Molly

P.S. Do you know what the common thread is among all of the guests that have visited the Cracking Open podcast? The answer might surprise you... they put themselves first.

They have been through the ups and downs of life, like we all have. They have faced hardships, challenges, heartbreak, and loss. They have come face-to-face with life-changing, life-defining moments. And in those moments, they chose themselves.

They chose to heal; to live their truth; to show up with vulnerability and authenticity; to radically shift their circumstances; to go for the dreams they had been holding back on... it was their time and they knew it and leaned into it.

Are you ready to put yourself first? Are you ready to choose YOU?

It's Your Time: 6-Month Group Coaching Program with Molly Carroll
Starting September 2023

Interested in learning more?
Book a free discovery call with Molly Carroll here.